I run a small space heater at my feet sm

My CPU is under the desk and I tend to swing my left leg up to rest on that. The air from the heater, if I position it right, flows up between my knees and heats my hands. I can't work this time of year without it. Warm feet=warm all over.

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Other related messages found in our databaseMy mother lives with us. We bought small electric space heater for her (sm)
as we usually keep the furnace at about 68 and keep a humidifier going. Makes a big difference. Older people get cold, so I have told her she might want to make sure and wear warmer clothes and don't hesistate to use the space heaters to provide comfort level in the family room and her bedroom for her.
space heater
Thanks for the helpful hint. About how much did you have to pay, and where did you buy it? (If you don't mind telling me.)
space heater
Thanks, guys and gals, for the great info about space heaters! I'll definitely stay away from the kind that cost our fellow MT's power bill to increase! Yikes! I'll probably go with a ceramic heater, like the Lasko mentioned in these posts. It seems to be the most efficient and the most cost-saving. :)
I use a space heater, but my CPU isn't under my desk.

MostlyI need the heat to warm up my hands, so I sit my heater on my desk top blowing directly at my keyboard. The electric blanket is an excellent idea. I may have to look into that.

One thing to consider, when I first plugged in my space heater, my circuit couldn't handle my CPU, printer, heater, going all at once and I tripped the circuit breaker. So, I've had to run an extension cord from another outlet on a different circuit for my heater. My house is pretty old though and needs some wiring work.

my computer sits on a "second hand" counter (bought at an discount home supply companyfor $35) that sits on 2x4s. I bought the counter top 2 x 8 feet marked down because of marks, etc., and placed all my printer, scanner, extra computer etc., on 2x4's cut down; i.e., 1 2x4 8 foot long give 3 sides (left,right, and bottom) to securely sit everything on top. I have 3 computers, a printer, a scanner, 2 transcription machines, a calculator, and CDs and a whatchamacallit for holding bills, etc. sitting on it. It's held up for 8 years.

I have a ceramic heater under my desk and it doesn't get hot enough to travel up to the counter.

As I start to feel my feet getting too cold, I lay the alternate sox over the heater (safe when set on the low setting - plus I'm right there watching them). Then I set the pair of shoes or slippers I'm not wearing on top of the heater to warm up the soles.

After about 15-20 minutes, I put on the warm sox, followed by the now-warm shoes/slippers. Once on my feet, the thick rubber soles stay warm for quite a long time! My feet warm up right away, STAY warm, and circulation improves, thus continuing to keep the shoes warm. The hiking boots worked the best - several hours later, my feet were still toasty warm!
space heater vs furnace, a few opinions from the experts

Limit use of Electric Space HeatersHere's a few opinions. There's one way, way, way down at the bottom, too. Hope it helps.

Limit use of freestanding or in-wall space heaters to short periods of time. Electric space heat can cost as much as 25 percent more than fossil fuel heat. Because of the high energy required, the use of extension cords with space heaters is not recommended. Also to avoid fire hazard, electric heater power cords should never be placed under a carpet or rug to be hidden from view.

http://www.lbwl.com/TipsElec.asp

Space heaters are a fairly inefficient way to convert electricity to heat. They can also run up the electric bill, and I'm not sure they're a good choice for the apartment-building lifestyle. However, if you owned a big home and controlled your own central heating, a space heater could be a good choice. If you spent your entire day, or most of it, in one room of the house (say, your satellite Grist office), you could turn off the central heat and use a space heater. And, of course, space heaters are a great option for rooms where there is no other heat source whatsoever -- certainly better than frostbite.

Space heaters run on electricity generated by burning something or splitting atoms or capturing hydropower or tapping into the energy of wind or sun (optimal but unlikely). Radiators run on water heated by burning oil or gas. Because your radiator burns fuel on site, odds are it is more efficient than your space heater. (Again, we're guessing here, since we don't know the specifics.) With electric space heaters, about two-thirds of the heating energy from the original fuel is lost during transit to your room.

http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2004/02/25/umbra-heat/

Ask the Energy Guy

2005

2004 Average

04/05 03/04 Average

363

313 396

398

349

514

Season to date

October

October

2005 2004 Average

2005 2004

Average

41

6

13

1266 1027

1010

Season to date

Q: A couple of issues ago you talked about electricspace heaters. Are they less

expensive than gas?

A: Maybe. Unless you have a geothermal heat pump, electricity

is not the most economical way to heat a home. But

depending on the size of the electricspaceheater and how

you use it, you may be able to increase your comfort and

save a little money this winter.

There are two basic types of electricspace heaters;

Convection heaters heat the air and usually have a fan

to blow warm air around. Radiant heaters warm objects.

Some people like to feel warm air move so they use a fan

driven heater. Others will use a radiant heater to avoid

drafts from moving air. The cost to operate the heater will

depend on wattage, temperature of the room, and length of time

itís on. The higher the wattage, the colder the room, and the

longer itís on - the more it will cost.

A 1500-watt heater will cost around $.10 an hour to operate.

Your much larger gas furnace may cost $.45 - $.75 an hour to

run. To be comfortable yet not spend more money the trick is to

save gas by turningdown your thermostat while using the electricheater. If you just

use a portable heater for short periods, and you turn down the thermostat at the same

time, you should be fairly comfortable and save on your heating bills. Check back

A. I can see why you would think using a space heater would be an energy-saving solution, especially with higher gas and oil prices. But in Vermont, electricity is still the most expensive way to heat. A typical portable electric space heater could actually increase your energy costs by as much as $50 a month.

A better approach is to make your home's "envelope" and central heating system work as efficiently as possible. Make sure your home has sufficient insulation. Prevent air leakage between indoors and out by sealing any holes between the house and outdoors or the attic, especially where chimneys and plumbing enter. Gaps around door and window frames and drafts under doors should also be sealed. Repair cracked glazing on windows and replace weather seals if necessary. You can find low-cost, easy-to-use weatherization kits and supplies at your hardware store. Be sure your furnace filter is clean, seal and insulate heating ducts, and have your furnace or boiler professionally inspected, cleaned and tuned each year. Vacuum or dust heating vents and move furniture away from them so heat can circulate. Finally, close doors to any rooms you don't want heated and turn down the thermostat in those rooms.

Gas vs. Electric HeatThe Dollar Stretcherby Gary Foreman

I live in the Midwest and am bracing for the high cost of heating my home this winter. My question is about buying/using a space heater. Is there a way to find out if running an electric space heater would be cheaper than the gas I use to heat the home? Is there a formula for this? How would I figure it out. I've taken all the other precautions such as insulation, furnace tune-up, weather-stripping etc. I figure I can keep the heat turned to about 67 - but a space heater might be good for the family room-kitchen, the area we use the most. Thanks, Cheryl R.

Cheryl appears to be serious about reducing her heating bills. And, she's right. According to the Federal Trade Commission, nearly half of our utility bills goes to heating/air conditioning. So controlling those expenses is worthwhile.

Cheryl can compare heat generated from gas or electric. To get a fair comparison we'll determine the cost to generate 1 million BTU's of heat with both fuels.

A furnace with a seasonal heating efficiency of 80% will use 12.5 therms to produce the million BTU's. MGE (Madison Gas Electric in Madison WI) was charging consumers $1.50 per therm in October, 2005. We'll use them as our example. At a cost of $1.50 per therm heating with gas would cost $18.75 (12.5 therms X $1.50).

An electric heater would consume 293 kilowatt hours to produce the million BTU's. At a cost of $0.11 per kWh (also from MGE) that's $32.58.

So heating with electric is more expensive than natural gas. And, that's usually the case since a lot of electric is generated by burning natural gas.

But, Cheryl's recognized that gas vs. electric is only half of the equation. Could heating a smaller area (kitchen/family room) with a higher cost fuel (electric) be a good idea?

In our example electric generated heat is 70% more expensive than gas generated heat ($32.58 / $18.75). As long as her kitchen/family room area is less than 30% of the cubic footage of her house she'll save money by using the space heater to heat it and turning down the thermostat on the furnace.

Remember that this is just an example. We've made some assumptions. For instance, furnaces are measured based on their AFUE rating (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency). It's also known as "seasonal heating efficiency." We chose a furnace rated at 80% efficiency. Cheryl's could be more or less efficient. That would affect how many therms of gas are consumed.

The selection of space heaters will make a difference, too. There are a number of types available.

According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources a radiator-type heater could be best for Cheryl. It works well in a room that gets constant use. And, since the surface area isn't extremely hot, there's less danger of someone (think children) getting burned.

There's also a formula that Cheryl can use to figure the cost of running a space heater. She'll need to know the size of the space heater in watts. Divide that by 1,000 to get kilowatts. So a 1500 watt heater is 1.5 kilowatts.

Multiply the answer by the number of hours per day the heater is in use to determine how many kilowatts are used per day. Suppose that it's running from 8am until 10pm. She'd multiply 1.5 kilowatts by 12 hours and be using 18 kilowatts per day.

Her electric bill will show how much she pays per kilowatt. Let's use our $0.11 rate. The 18 kilowatts per day multiplied by $0.11 costs Cheryl $1.98 per day to run the heater.

Make no mistake, the furnace is the most efficient way to heat the entire house. But, according to the National Association of Home Builders the average home is 2,200 square feet. That's a lot of space to heat.

And, if you'll study your home, most homes do not have someone in every room 24 hours a day. Each family has a pattern of use. One or two rooms might be in use for much of the day. Other rooms rarely are used except for sleep. Cheryl might find that she can lower the thermostat on the furnace to 60 degrees and use space heaters to raise the temperature in occupied areas.

Chances are that a lot of us don't want to go through all the calculations. You really don't need to. If you only have one or two rooms occupied, it will almost certainly be cheaper to keep your thermostat lower and put a space heater in the occupied rooms. Just remember to take the appropriate safety precautions when using space heaters.

I hear Paul Harvey advertise this heater on the radio all the time and I am considering it for our house for this winter. I just wonder how much it might really save us since we use propane to heat and this is an electric heater. It sounds good according to what I have heard and read but obviously I don't really know.

I am in my home office most of the day and thought I could turn our furnace down low as there is no need to heat the entire house when I spend at least 8 hours a day in my office and I am the only one at home during the day. I could just close my office door and use this heater and maybe save some $. We have a 1600 sq. ft. home, one level, and we spent about $1900 for propane last year (including hot water heater and gas cooking stove). I wore thermals and warm clothes as well as used a snug snack while working but I am always cold and had the thermostat turned up to 72 during the day and 66 at night.

I will post the link for those that might be interested in knowing more bout the heater.

I KNOW!!! We were all sitting there with our mouths about hitting the floor. We could not believe it.

Please, please, no more on Six Feet Under
It's killing me not to read these posts. I "Tivo'd" it and haven't watched it tonight. That's what I look forward to on Monday nights. What will I ever do when it goes off???what did you think of the Six Feet Under
It seemed a little rushed at the ending. I was also expecting to cry or get emotional or get shocked like I usually do. It was very mundane and the ending was rushed. Looks like everyone died exactly the same way, except the gay boyfriend.
Six Feet Under...Quit acting like an ostrich and pull your head out of the sand. Pick up the paper some time and read it or tune into the news when you can fit it into your busy schedule because it's really important for you to know what's going on in our world today. Of course, your other alternative is to keep doing what you're doing, with your head stuck firmly in the sand, thinking companies are paying bucco bucks/line rates in today's world economy.
Pes can also mean feet.
Or footlike part.
Six feet under drama
Nate sure left a mess, so far they've bad mouthed the Iraq war, fantasized brother and sister romance (shudders), where else will they go? Who's going to be a goner in the finale, I feel its coming. They've set it up where anyone can either off themselves or do something crazy and accidentally die.
yes frostbite of his feet
Thank you... I started laughing about the word because it sounded like tiny penis cured with cream.. and just can't concentrate now so I'm taking a break...lol
cold feet
I bought a cheap electric heater and run it pointing towards my feet.
Only one here, but it is 9 feet tall...
and it takes my 6'8" husband to help decorate near the top. Merry Christmas to all.
Best Buy does it too- was 2 feet from the door, guy saw me pay, still had - sm
to show my receipt, which I had already put away in my wallet. Pain in the butt!
crow's feet...
I am beginning to notice crow's feet around my eyes ...help! Any advice on a good eye cream to help prevent these from getting any worse would be sooo appreciated!
swollen feet
I had swollen ankles/feet last year and found out it was my high blood pressure medication causing it, so was switched to another, but then developed a cough, so then switched to Benicar with no problems. Sometimes medications can cause the feet and ankle swelling. My doctor also suggested getting up every 1/2 hour and walking around as all this sitting just does a number on our bodies. Epsom salt soak will help also. Mine occurred during the hot summer months.
RE: swollen feet
Mine swell, too. The only thing I can think of is to drink plenty of water throughout the day and walk around a bit when you can. Also, during your lunch break, prop your feet up. If you soak them, use tepid water, rather than hot.
I warm my feet.
When my hands are cold, I warm my feet. Not sure why that works, but it does! I have an electric heating pad under my feet (type barefoot or in my socks) and it warms me up. I also have a blanket I crocheted and that helps too.
Hair and feet

My feet swell a lot after sitting all day, so I also make sure I get up for at least 5 minutes every hour and stretch. I stretch my arms, shoulders, legs, etc. and walk around to get some circulation going. This does help.

My eyes started going too, so when the headaches were everyday, even just glancing at the monitor, I knew it was time to make the visit to the eye doctor. I found an excellent doctor close by my house that knew what he was doing, as I had been to another doctor that screwed me. There is such a thing as "computer glasses" and the doc spent much time with me asking questions on what I do, how close to the monitor, etc. The first day of using my new glasses, no headaches! I had visited the other doctor and was told I had "computer glasses" but after showing them to the new doc, he said they were nothing but regular glasses with not even a prescription in them.

For your hair falling out, I have scalp psoriasis, so when my stress level increases, my hair falls out even more. I have been under tremendous stress lately and actually have handfuls at once coming out. I have been to the doc, had all the tests done to make sure it wasn't thyroid or anything strange. I would suggest you see your doc and make sure of that too and go from there.

Best of luck!

Typing with feet up sm
There were many times when I could have used this advice, would love to see some pics. How I have suffered over the years with tapes! Things are getting better and it's important to take care of our legs or we could get DVT. My PT suggested sitting on a balance ball which she said a whole insurance company does. I was petrified of the balance ball at first but it really is something you can get used to. (I never did use it for work.) I also have seen pics of people working on a treadmill, standing with the laptop on a raised platform. In my younger days I think I could have done this and remained much healthier. Where there is a will there is a way. How I wish some of these options would have been available to me during the years I suffered with winding tapes, sitting for hours and in pain. Just when things are getting better -- along comes outsourcing! Perhaps things will change for the better for the newcomers, I sure hope so. Please keep posting your new ideas, there is a better way. After all, we survived electric typewriters, carbon paper and White Out! Keep on keeping on! I love the idea of working in a recliner, how much better for our backs, just be sure to get up and walk around and exercise now and then to keep the circulation going.I have a cat who dashes in front of my feet
I'm thinking of using one of my dogs squeaky toys to get his attention when he cuts me off again, that will show him!that one surely has both feet in their mouth right now.
When someone points a finger its usually to make themself feel more powerful, sad and unhappy person. Honey, all came here the same way, we came from dirt and are going back to dirt. You keep being strong, raise those babies the best you can and be proud you don't have the mentality of the person making such a crud statement. The storm surge of 28 feet is said what will cause
There are many people who have remained in their homes as they are poor, disabled or quite elderly.

Hard to imagine how they would expect 485,000 people could evacuate in one day.

Yes, have been there, too. It is so historic and a great vacation place.

I have big platform sandals that I use. They are great. One on each foot. You can move your feet around, but they are nice and high from the ground, like a movable foot stool.Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance!
I JUST WANT TO PRAISE HIM - your post made me misty, thank God for you!
Definitely SATC, Friends, and also Six Feet Under.
I still watch SATC reruns every night and I really want the DVD collection, but it costs about $200 for the whole thing. I'd have to say my favorite is Carrie. I didn't always agree with her choices, but I saw more of myself in her than any of the others.

Loved Six Feet Under and I really miss that show, though I am getting into HBO's new show, Big Love.

I actually still watch Seinfeld reruns a lot, too! I do like Julia Louis-Dreyfuss in her new show, The New Adventures of Old Christine.
1000 square feet?
I can't imagine living in such a cramped space! Why, our master bedroom suite alone is 850 square feet!

It can be done. Takes a little bit to get used to, though. I did it several years ago for a heel spur. Now I have pain in my foot pedal knee, so I went back to the other foot, and it was like no problem. Now I'm foot ambidextrous.